


Closure

by DarthLivion (DistantShenanigans)



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Other, canon minor character death, i spun a canon character into my own character, so technically it's an OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 12:30:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8714032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantShenanigans/pseuds/DarthLivion
Summary: Tui's friend who died was more like his boyfriend.
Moana asks about it, and learns more about her father's past.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starofwinter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/gifts).



> So I decided that Tui is Bisexual, and his friend he couldn't save was actually his boyfriend, and they were leaving to be together because Tui's father said he had to be with a woman because obviously not every single person will accept that sort of thing, no matter how accepting the culture is (which IDK if Pacific Islanders even accept that so if so please tell me).
> 
> I.... kind of technically guess I don't own anyone because I'm just giving a canon character a background and life, but technically that makes him an OC so... I'm so confused.
> 
> The song lyrics from the fic are from "We Know The Way" from the movie.

 

Tui was very proud of his daughter. He was also damn terrified for her. She had come home safe, yes, but Moana was proving to be every single bit of him, and then she had the guts to do it. That didn't mean he wasn't proud of her. She was his pride and joy, and always had been. He should have trusted his mother more, but given what had happened to Marama...

No, there was no use thinking about that. They were all past that night.

It wasn't like he never thought about Marama. He thought about the other man every day, every time he thought of his daughter, he would think about Marama. It had always been a dream of his to have a daughter named Moana. Tui had just lucked out that Sina felt that naming their own child Moana was a good way to honour Tui's late friend. When he had finally gathered the courage to tell her that they had been trying to go past the reef so the two could be **together** , it had gone... alright. It hadn't gone great, she was rather upset and wouldn't let him explain, but she'd come back after a day and asked him questions.

Moana had been three at the time, and Sina learning and understanding that Tui was attracted to both men and women had helped ease Tui's conscious and bottled up emotions.

He loved his wife, don't get him wrong. She was everything he could ever hope for in a friend and wife, but his love for her didn't quite meet the same level of love he had for Marama. He often felt guilty about it, but after several talks over it all, Sina just smiled at his confession, and promised that she wasn't upset over it. Sina, at least, believed that Marama was the perfect match for him, and she was absolutely okay with that.

It did nothing to ease Tui's guilt. He wanted to give her his whole heart, but he couldn't because the better part of it had drowned with Marama.

He didn't plan for Moana to ever find out about what happened that night, about what happened to Marama. It was pretty much an unspoken rule among the island to never talk about Marama, unless you were Tui or had permission. It was an actual spoken rule that Moana would never be told.

His father had been insistent on that, before he died. Tui had no issue in keeping that rule.

So when Moana found him sitting on the edge of a rock, staring out at the water, he was surprised and worried.

“Mom told me about you trying to leave the reef...” Moana said, “And that... That your friend died.” Tui looked at her, trying to hide his fear.

“She told you about him?” He asked softly.

“Yes... I'm not surprised you didn't love the water anymore, after that...” Confusion took over.

“Well, yes, losing someone I loved as much as him was heartbreaking, but I still-”

“Loved?” Moana asked, looking up at him, confused. “You two were... _together_?” Tui looked confused.

“Well, yes, but didn't your mother tell you that?” Moana looked at him in absolute confusion and he could see the hint of anger. In that moment, she looked just like her mother.

“Mom didn't say you two were like _that_!” She didn't seem to be saying it like being in a relationship with a man was a bad thing, but the words had a bad connotation if taken out of context. “I was told you two were _friends_!” Tui sighed at that.

“Moana-”

“No!” She stood up. “I. _No_!” She turned and stormed off, and Tui hated that she was also so much like himself. He had done the same thing, when Marama had told him he liked boys, instead of girls. He had come around when he realized he had reacted like that because he was afraid to like boys along with girls. Tui hoped his daughter was doing the same thing, instead of it causing another rift between them, when they had just mended the original one. He wouldn't mind if she was attracted to girls, whether it be an 'and boys' or just girls. She had done so much for their people, why should he care who she fell in love with?

He joined the others for dinner, and Moana was silent, rather than talking about her adventure out at sea, saving Te Fiti, and learning how to wayfind under the tutelage of the demi-god Maui. Sina spun a tale for the children, though, and Tui didn't know if she was deliberately using a false tale about Marama and himself to get Moana to understand, or if she was doing it on accident.

Regardless, he couldn't help noticing Moana's expression change from indifference, to hurt, when she found out the reaction of the character that was based on her grandfather.

It was long after Sina and the village went to sleep when Moana found Tui at the shores, near the water enough for the tide to wet his feet and ankles, but never any further in. She stopped next to him, both of them looking out at the line where the sky meets the sea.

“... Was Mom's story true?” She asked, her tone soft, as if she didn't want it to be real. Tui let out a soft sigh.

“Yes.” He confirmed, “It was true.” Every part of it. She hadn't even shied away from telling the children about Marama dying in their attempt to flee the island.

“... I'm sorry, Dad...” Moana said, “That... That must have been awful...” Tui looked away from the sea, to his daughter.

“It was, yes. But when I married your mother, it was not because I was forced. Yes, I had to get married, but I _chose_ your mother. I love her, and I love you.” He promised. His hand went to rest against the side of her face, and his thumb brushed her cheek softly. Moana smiled, albeit a bit sadly.

“I know, Dad... I love you too... But... still... Do you ever think of him?” Tui's expression turned sad, and he knew it.

“Of course I do... Every day... When I look at you, when I think of you, I think of him. I'm reminded of him. His heart was just as big as yours, and his optimism was just as endless.”

“Is it... Is it okay if I learned more about him?” Moana asked, hesitant. Tui shook his head.

“You don't have to, Moana. It was a long time ago.”

“I want to know. Mom said he was the one you were meant to be with. I want to know about him.” She insisted.

Gods bless Sina. She deserved far more than she ever got.

It was three weeks later, when they departed on their voyage, that they were blessed by the spirits. Moana had spotted them first, crying out in delight about their ancestors, about Tala.

As the boats of the spirits passed, them singing a song of voyaging, one caught Tui's eyes as it stood by his mother.

Marama. He smiled brightly, lifted his right arm, made a fist, and put his fist to his chest, right over his heart, before giving a half-bow to him and Sina. When the spirit straightened, Tui replied with the same.

Suddenly Moana was there next to Tui, staring at the spirit of Marama.

“Is that him? Is that Uncle Marama?” She asked, clearly excited. It had been shortly after she first learned about him that she started calling him her uncle.

The spirit smiled.

“ _What's her name?_ ” He didn't raise his voice, but it was still as if he was whispering right into Tui's ear.

“Moana.” Tui breathed, and for a moment, Marama's expression softened, before it turned to one of immense pride.

“ _AUE AUE_ ,” Marama joined the singing again.

“ _Nuku I mua! Te manulele e tataki e!_ ” The spirits sang, “ _Aue, aue! Te fenua, te malie, nae ko hakilia mo kaiga e!_ ” As the boats began to fade, Tui heard Marama whisper in his ear one last time.

“ _I'm always with you._ ”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let it be known I love Sina and her and Tui together are amazing but just because he loved Marama more than he loves Sina, it doesn't mean he doesn't truly love Sina. He does. I tried to make that very clear so please re-read it again if you missed that.
> 
> *Marama is a Maori/Pacific Islander name and it means 'Moon; light', according to the naming site I used.


End file.
